Rotary lithographic offset printing-machine.



F. WAITE. ROTARY LITHOGRAPHIG OFFSET PRINTING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 111111122 1911.

1,012,485. 1 Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. WAITE. ROTARY LITHOGRAPHIC OFFSET PRINTING MACHINE. APPLICATION PILE'D JUNE 22, 1911 1,01 2,485. Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FRED WAITE, OF OTLEY, ENGLAND.

ROTARY LITHOGRAPHIG OFFSET PRINTING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1911.

Application filed June 22, 1911. Serial at. 634,707.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, F RED Warm, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Otley, in the county of York, En land, have invented certain new and usefu Improvements in Rotary Lithographic Ofi'set Printing-Machines, and of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to that type of rotary lithographic offset printing machine, comprising a rotary plate cylinder carrying the zinc design plate and with which ink distributing rollers and dampin rollers coact, the design on the said plate eing transferred to a transfer cylinder, between which latter and animpression cylinder the paper passes and thereby contacts with the transfer cylinder to receive the impression. Such machines have hitherto been fitted with mechanism by which the transfer cylinder could be rocked away from the plate and impression cylinders, by the operator moving the necessary mechanical connections, and the mechanism for so throwing the transfer cylinder out of action has been capable of being so connected with the op erating mechanism of the machine, that so long as a treadle was held down b the atten ant, a rocking arm operated rom the driving mechanism of the machine, mechanically acted to take the transfer cylinder away from the plate and impression cylinders and so hold the machine out of action, although the plate and impression cylinders would still be driven. It will be thus understood that this known transfer cylinderwithdrawing mechanism could be caused to hold the transfer cylinder out of action during such time as the attendant judged was necessary, but the object of the present invention is to provide additional mechanism in conjunction with the aforesaid transfer cylinder-withdrawing mechanism which will not automatically, if so desired, to bring the transfer cylinder out of contact with the plate and impression cylinders every alternate revolution, so as toallow double the amount of rolling by the ink and damn ing rollers of the plate cylinder, to that w ich it ordinarily receives when printing the maximum number of sheets.

The invention further refers to the combination with such mechanism of means co-acting therewith, so that durin the period of every alternate revolution,w en the transfer cylinder is out of contact with the plate and impression cylinders, the grippers of the impression cylinder shall be retarded in their action, that is, shall be caused to operate later and so omit taking a sheet of paper during that inoperative revolution, while with such combination, mechanism is provided so that when the closing of the grippers is retarded, the front feeding gage coacting with the impression cylinder is held down to prevent the passage of the said paper sheet. Moreover in combination with the mechanism first mentioned according to this invention, means are provided to cause the damping of the plate carried by the plate cylinder, to take place automatically at every alternate revolution of the said cylinder if so desired, or if not so desired, permitting the plate to be damped at every revolution of the plate cylinder.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the lower part of a rotary lithographic offset printing machine comprising the mechanisms according to this invention hereafter described, and Fig. 2 is a similar view of some of the parts shown at Fig. 1 partly in section and showing some of the parts in another osition.

Referring to the drawings, there will be firstly described that transfer cylinder-with drawing mechanism which is already known, but with which, as hereafter described, the mechanisms according to the present invention are calculated to co-act.

The plate or printing cylinder 1, the transfer cylinder 2 and the impression cylinder 3 are respectively mounted in end bearings 1", 2 and 3 carried by the side frames 4, 5, which cylinders are geared toether and driven from the main shaft 6 by intermediate shafts 7, 8 and gearing 9. 10 are the ink distributing rollers and 11 the damping rollers which run in contact with the plate cylinder 1, and 12 is the watertrough roller revolubly mounted on the frame 13 pivoted at 14 to the side frames 4, 5.

The eccentric end bearing 2 of the transfer cylinder 2 is coupled up to the handlever o erating mechanism 15, and the arm- 15 of t e rock shaft 15 forming part of the said mechanism is pivoted to the horizontal rod 16 whose free end is formed with a hook 16, which latter, on the rod 16 being lowered, is caused to engage a stud 17 of a constantly moving rockin arm 17 operated by a cam 18 on the she t 8 and a contact maintaining sprin 17'. This hooked rod 16 is normally hel in the up, or out of engagement position, clear of the stud 17 of the rocking arm 17, by a pivoted trigger 19 actuated by means of a spring 20, and the said tri ger 19 is coupled up by means of a connecting rod 21 to a treadle 22 as shown at Fig. 1; the arrangement bein such that on the treadle 22 being depress the trigger 19 is rocked on its fulcrum 19 against the action of the lifting s ring 20 which allows the hooked rod 16 to all into engagement with the stud 17 of the rocking arm 17 as shown at Fig. 2, whereby a forward movement is imparted to the hooked rod 16, a ainst the action of a returning spring 16, w ereby the transfer cylinder 2 1s automatically rocked awa from the plate cylinder 1 and the impression cylinder 3, and thereby the said transfer c linder becomes ino erative. On the trea e 22 being release the trigger 19 is raised by its spring 20 so as to lift the hooked rod 16 out of enga ement with the stud 17 of the rocking arm 1 and the spring 16 acts on the rod 16 and returns the bearings of the transfer cylinder 2 to their normal position, brin 'n the latter oylinderinto engagement wit t e plate and im ression cylinders. ow according to the the machine is fitted with a half-speed shaft 23, that is a shaft which is revolved once to every two revolutions of the cylinders 1, 2 and 3, and this shaft 23 is driven b spur caring 24 from the shaft 8, through t e meium of which the mechanisms hereafter described, according to this invention, are 0p erated.

In order to bring the transfer cylinder out of contact with the plate and impression cylinders at every alternate revolution so as to allow the plate cylinder to receive double the amount of inkin and damping, a cam 25 is fixed on the ha f-speed shaft 23, and on the frame 4 at 26 is pivoted a bell-crank lever 26 provided with a stud 26 with which a hit-and-miss rod 27 is adapted to be connected and toward which stud 26 the rod 27 is drawn by a spring 27; the said rod 27 is con led up by means of a lever 27 to a rockaft 28, which is turned in one direction by said s'rin 27; and said rod 27, when connecte wit the stud 26, causes the said shaft 28 to be rocked, against the tension of said spring 27 once to every revolution of the half-s eed shaft 23. This rock-shaft 28 is coup ed up by a lever 29 and rod 29 to the trigger 19 of the withdrawing mechanism by which the transfer cylinder 2 is rocked away from the plate cylinder 1 and impression cylinder 3, and seeing the rock-shaft 28 is only actuated once to ever two revolutions of the transfer cylinder 2, the latter is rocked into the inoperative position every alternate revolution except when the hit-and-miss rod .27 is disconnected from the stud 26 of the campresent invention,

rocked bell-crank lever 26. This rocking of the transfer cylinder 2 into the inoperative position every alternate revolution, has

.the effect of causing the plate cylinder 1 to be inked by the distributing rollers 10 twice for every printing operation, while when the hit-and-miss arrangement is disconnected, the plate cylinder 1 is inked once for every printing operation and said hit-and-miss rod 27, with its appurtenances, constitutes means fordisoonnecting said cam-operated mechanism from said cylinder controlling mechanism,for that purpose.

In order to cause the grippers of the impression cylinder to operate later and omit taking a s eet of paper during the inoperative revolution of the latter cylinder, the following means are provided :-The impression cylinder grippers 30 are operated by the usual pinion 30, pivoted segment 31, runner 31*and cam 32. The cam 32 instead 'of being fixed on its shaft as hitherto, is now regulatable by partial rotation so as to alternately cause the grippers 30 to operate later (and thus pass the sheet before closing) when the transfer cylinder 2 is out of contact with the inders 1, 3 but which adjustment of the cam 32 enables the grippers to grip in the ordinary way when the transfer cylinder 2 is in contact with the plate and impression cylinders 1, 3. The cam 32 for this purpose is attached to a circular plate 32 mounted on the shaft of the impression cylinder 3,

which plate is connected by a link 33 and lever 33 to the rock-shaft 28 in connection with the half-speed shaft 23, by which the grippin is retarded at ever alternate revolution o the im ression cylinder 3 when the hit-and-miss rod 27 is connected to the stud 26 of the cam-rocked bell-crank lever 26; while when the rod 27 is disconnected, the grippers 30 are caused to operate at every revo ution of the impression cylinder 3.

The front feeding gage 34, which has to lift to allow the grippers 30 to carry the sheet fromthe feed table, is mounted on a pivoted arm 35 provided with a runner 35 y which it is forced down by a cam 36 against the action of a lifting-spring 35 in the ordinary way; but when the doubleinking motion is in action, the said gage 34 is made to only lift at every alternate revolution of the impression cylinder 3. This is accomplished by fixing a pawl 37 on the pivot of the gage arm 35 and forming a recess 37* in the plate 32 of the gripperoperatin cam 32, into which recess 37* the pawl 37 is free to enter when the machine is printing the maximum number of sheets, that is to say, when the plate 32 is maintained in one posltion the pawl 37 drops into the recess 37 each time the runner 35 of greater diameter of the cam 36, and then the gage 34 is lifted by the spring 35 at plate and impression cyl-' leaves the part every revolution of the impression cylinder 3. \Vhen, however, the plate 32 is partially adjusted in a retard direction into the position shown at Fig. 2, the pawl 37 is, as will be seen, held raised by the said plate 32 and thus keeps the gage 34 down. The plate 32 is partially rotated in a retard direction as aforesaid to retard the closing of the grippers 30 by the cam 32 accompanying the movement of the plate 32.

To control the damping mechanism, the following is provided :To the frame 5 on a stud 38 coaxial with the stud 26 is pivoted a bell-crank lever 39 adapted to be operated by a second cam 40 situated on the half-speed shaft 23, and this lever 39 is connected up by a hit-and-miss rod 41 to a stud 42 of a pivoted lever 43 attached-by means of a connecting rod 44 to the frame 13 of the water roller 12, the arrangement being such that when the hit-and-miss rod 41 is connected to the stud 42 of the lever 43. the damping is caused to take place every alternate revolution of the plate cylinder 1, while a disconnecting lever 45 working in conjunction with a pivoted guide 46 is em ployed for lifting or throwing out of gear the hit-and-miss rod 41 when it is desired to damp the plate at every revolution of the plate cylinder 1. A cam, 45, Fig. 1, movable with the disconnecting lever 45, contacts with the pivoted guide 46 when said lever is turned inward by hand, and supports said guide in effective position until the lever 45 is pulled outward.

It will now be understood that when the hit-and-miss rod 27 is connected to its bellcrank lever 26 and the hit and-miss rod 41 is disconnected from its lever 43, the plate on the plate cylinder 1 will receive double the amount of rolling by the ink and water rollers 10, 11 to that which it receives when printing the maximum number of sheets, and that the half-speed movement by which this is effected simultaneously controls the gripping mechanism by causing it to operate in conformity to the frequency of contact of the transfer cylinder 2 with the plate cylinder 1 and impression cylinder 3; and further, that the inking and damping arrangements, the latterbeing independently connected to the half-speed movement, are free to be operated together or separately as maybe desired so as to enable the plate cylinder 1 to be inked and dam ed either once or twice or inked twice an damped once for every printing operation.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by patent is 1. In a rotary lithographic ofi'set printing machine of the type s ecified; the combination with a plate cy inder, a transfer cylinder, an impression cylinder, inking and damping rollers in juxtaposition to the plate cylinder, transfer cylinder-controllmg mechanism to rock the transfer cylinder into and out of engagement with the plate and impression cylinders, means to normally maintain said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism in an inoperative position with such transfer cylinder held in engagement with said plate and impression cylinders, and means operative at will to bring said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism into connection with a moving member of the machine to cause said mechanism to automatically rock said transfer cylinder out of engagement with said plate and impression cylinders; of a half-speed shaft, means for revolving said shaft at half the speed of said cylinders, a cam on said shaft, mechanism operated by said cam to co-act with said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism to operate the latter to move said transfer cylinder out of contact with the plate and impression cylinders at every alternate revolution of said cylinders to permit said plate cylinder to receive a double action of the inking and damping rollers, and means for disconnecting said cam-op erated mechanism from said cylinder-controlling mechanism to cause said plate cylinder to receive only a single action of said inking and damping rollers.

2. In a rotary lithographic offset printing machine of the type specified; the combination with a plate cylinder, a transfer cylinder, an impression cylinder, inking and damping rollers in juxtaposition to the plate cylinder, transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism to rock the transfer cylinder into and out of engagement with the plate and impression cylinders, means to normally maintain said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism in an inoperative position with such 1 transfer cylinder held in engagement with said plate and impression cylinders, and means operative at will to bring said transfer oylindercontrolling mechanism into connection with a moving member of the ma- 1 chine to cause said mechanism to automatically rock said transfer cylinder out of engagement with said plate and'impression cylinders; of a half-speed shaft, means for revolving said shaft at half the speed of said cylinders a cam on said shaft, mechanism operated by said cam to co-act with said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism to o erate the latter to move said transfer cylin er out of contact with the plate and impression cylinders at every alternate revolution of said cylinders to ermit said plate cylinder to receive a doub e action of the inking and dampingl rollers, paper gripping mechanism carrie by said impression 12 cylinder, means for operating said gripping mechanism to cause same to seize and release the sheet of paper at proper times, and retarding mechanism operated b said cam on said half-speed shaft to retar the action of said gripping mechanism to cause same to omit gripping a sheet of paper during alternate inoperative revolutions of said impression cylinder, and means for connecting and disconnecting said cam-operated mechanism from said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism to cause said plate cylinder to receive a double or only a single action of said inking and damping rollers, and for throwing into and out of operation said mechanism for retarding the action of said gripping mechanism.

3. In a rotary lithographic ofl'set printing machine of the type specified; the combination with a plate cylinder, a transfer cylinder, an impression cylinder, inking and damping rollers in juxtaposition to the plate cylinder, transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism to'rock the transfer cylinder into and out of engagement with the plate and impression cylinders, means to normally maintain said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism in an inoperative position with such transfer cylinder held in engagement with said plate and impression cylinders, and means operative at will to bring said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism into connection with a moving member of the machine to cause said mechanism to automatically rock said transfer cylinder out of engagement with said plate and impression cylinders; of a half-speed shaft, means for revolvin said shaft at half the speed of said cylinders, a cam on said shaft, mechanism operated by said cam to co-act with said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism to operate the latter to move said transfer cylinder out of contact with the plate and impression cylindersat every alternate revolution of saidbyflinders to permit said plate cylinder to reiceive a double action of the inkin and damping rollers, paper grippin mec anism carried by said impresslon cy mder, means-jot operating said gri ping mechanism to cause same to seize anti release the sheet of paper at proper times, and retardin mechanism operated by said cam on said half-speed shaft to returd the action of said gripping mechanism to cause same to omit gripping'fa sheet of paper during alternate inoperative revolutions of said impression c linden, a front feeding gage co-acting wit said grlpplng mechanism of the im ression cylinder, means for holding said ront feeding gage onto said impression cylinder, and to lift same to allow said gripping mechanism to carry a sheet of paper, and mechanism operated from said half-speed shaft to hold said ga down to prevent passage of said paper 8 eet when said transfer cylinder is ino erative, and means for disconnecting sai cam-o erated mechanism from said transfer cy inder-controlling. mechanism to cause said plate cylinder to receive only a half-speed shaft, means for revolvin single action of said inking and damping rollers, and for throwing into and out of operation said mechanism for retarding the action of said gripping mechanism and for holding down said gage to prevent passage of said paper sheet.

4. In a rotary lithographic offset printing machine of the type specified; the combination with a plate cylinder, a transfer cylinder, an impression cylinder, inking and damping rol ers in juxtaposition to the plate cylinder, transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism to rock the transfer cylinder into and out of engagement with the plate and impression cylinders, means to normally maintain said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism in an inoperative position with such transfer cylinder held in engagement with said plate and impression cylln ers, and means operative at will to bring said transfer cylindercontrolling mechanism into connection with a movin member of the machine to cause said mec anism to automatically rock said transfer cylinder out of engagement with said plate and impression cylinders; of a said shaft at half the speed of said cylin ers, a

cam on said shaft, mechanism operated by said cam to co-act with said transfer cylin der-controlling mechanism to operate the latter to move said transfer cylinder out of contact with the plate and impression cylin- "ders at every alternate revolution of said cylinders to ermit said plate cylinder to refceive a dou le action of the inking and Jdamping rollers, a e(pivoted frame, a water trough roller carri by said frame to con- @tact with said damping rollers to suppl water thereto, a second cam on said hal speed shaft, mechanism operated by said second cam to rock said frame carrying said water trough roller away from said damping rollers durin every alternate revolution of said late cyllnder to cause the damping of the Ip ate carried by the plate cylinder to take p ace automatically at every alternate revolution of said cylinder, and means for disconnecting said mechanism controlling said frame carrying said water trough roller to allow said water trough roller to remain in contact with said damping rollers to permit the plate to be damped atevery revolution of the plate cylinder.

5. In a rotary lithographic offset printing machine of the type specified; the combination with a plate cylinder, a transfer cylin der, an impression cylinder, inking and damping ro lers in guxtaposition to the plate cylinder, transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism to rock the transfer cylinder into and out of engagement with the-plate and impression cy inders, means to normally maintain said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism in an inoperative position wit such transfer cylinder held in engagement with said plate and impression cylinders; and means operative at will to bring said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism into connection with a moving member of the machine to cause said mechanism to automatically rock said transfer cylinder out of engagement with said plate and impression cylinders; of a half-speed shaft, means for revolving said shaft at half the speed of said cylinders, a cam on said shaft, a bell-crank lever rocked by said cam, a stud on one arm of said lever, a rock-shaft, hearings in the frame-work to carry said rock-shaft, an arm on said rock-shaft, a hit-and-miss rod pivoted to said arm, said rod having a notch calculated to engage said stud on said bell-crank lever whereby said rock-shaft is rocked by said cam in one direction, a tension spring to rock said rock-shaft in the opposite direction, and mechanism operated from said rock-shaft to cause said transfer cylindercontrolling mechanism to move said transfer cylinder out of contact with the plate and impression cylinders at every alternate revolution of said cylinders, to permit. said plate cylinder to receive a double action of the inking and damping rollers.

6. In a rotary lithographic offset printing machine of the type specified; the combination with transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism comprising a shaft, means for revolving said shaft at a speed corresponding with the rotation of the printing cylinders, a cam on said shaft, an arm rocked in one direction by said cam, a spring to hold said arm in contact with said cam, a stud on said arm, a rock-shaft, bearings in the frame to carry said rock-shaft, an arm on said rock-shaft, a horizontal rod pivoted to said arm said rod having a notch therein adapted to engage said stud on said rocking arm, a trigger to normally hold said horizontal rod out of engagement with said stud on said arm, means connected with said rock-shaft to bring said transfer cylinder into and out of engagement with said plate and impression cylinders, means for operating said trigger to permit said notch of said horizontal rod to engage said stud on said rocking arm to bring said transfer cylinder out of engagement at each cam-actuated traverse of said horizontal rod of a halfspeed shaft, means for revolving said shaft at half the speed of said cylinders, a cam on said shaft, a bell-crank lever rocked by said cam, a stud on one arm of said lever, a rockshaft, bearings in the framework to carry said rock-shaft, an arin on said rock-shaft, a hit-and-miss rod pivoted to said arm said rod having a notch calculated to. engage said stud on said bell-crank lever whereby said rock-shaft is rocked by said cam in one direction, and a tension spring to rock said rock-shaft in the opposite direction, a second arm on said rock-shaft. a connecting rod connecting said second arm on said rockshat'lto an arm of said trigger tullilOlllfiQ' the position of said horiz ntal rod to operate said trigger at every alternate revolution of said printing cylinders to luring said hori zontal rod into engagement with said stud on said rocking arm to cause said transfer cylinder to be moved out of contact with the plate and impression cylinders at every alternate revolution.

7. in a rotary lithographic offset printing machine of the type specified: the combination with transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism to rock the transfer cylinder into and out of engagement with the plate and impression cylinders, means to normally maintain said transfer cylinder-eontrolling mechanism in an inoperative position with such transfer cylinder held in engagement with said plate and impression cylinders, and means ope ative at will to bring said transfer cylinder-controlling mechanism into connection with a moving member of the machine to cause said mechanism to automatically rock said transfer cylinder out of engagement with said plate and impression cylinders; of a half-speed shaft, means for re volving said shaft at half the speed of said cylinders, a cam on said shaft, a bell-crank lever rocked by said cam, a stud on one arm of said lever, a rock-shaft, hearings in the frame-work to carry said rock-shaft, an arm on said rock-shaft, a hit-and-miss rod piv-- oted to said arm said rod having a notch to engage said stud on said bell-crank lever to rock said rock-shaft in one direction, and a sprin to rock said rock-shaft in the opposite direction, mechanism operated from said rock-shaft to actuate said transfer cylindercontrolling mechanism, paper gripping mechanism carried by said impression cylinder, an an larly adjustable cam on the shaft of the impression cylinder to operate said paper gripping mechanism to seize and release the sheet of paper at proper times, a circular plate on said impression cylinder shaft to which said gripper cam is fixed, a second arm on said rock-shaft, and a link connecting said second arm on said rockshaft to said circular plate to angularly adjust said gripper cam to retard the action of said gripping mechanism to cause same to omit gripping a sheet of paper during alternate inoperative revolutions of said impression cylinder.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

FRED WAITE. \Vitnesses:

ED. B. NICHOLLS, FRED HAMMOND. 

